Casket closure device



April 2, 1957 H. w. BAKER, JR

CASKET CLOSURE DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 21, 1955 INVENTOR. HAROLD w. BAKER, JR.

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ATTORNEYS April 2, 1957 H. w. BAKER, JR 2,787,487

CASKET CLOSURE DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 21, 1955 INVENTOR. HAROLD w. BAKER,JR. "M. 2,..4

ATTORNEYS 7 April 2, 1957 w. BAKER, JR 2,787,487

CASKET CLOSURE DEVICE I Filed Jan. 21, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 a l2 l5 [5 VI B '3- 4 B '3 0 ID x I Q F 4'9? E 49 I8 v 44 //i \N 47 IO l0 49; 4 so l so a 52 E --.42 52 H fi INVENTOR.

HAROLD w. BAKER,JR. 20 BY 20 7 MM) ATTORNEYS CASKET CLOSURE DEVICE Harold W. Baker, Jr., Bryn Mawr, Pa., assignor to L. E. Jones Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 21, 1955, Serial No. 483,270

6 Claims. (Cl. 292-4) This invention relates to a casket closure device which can be used with the conventional type of casket which has a lid in one or more sections which is hinged to the body portion of the casket. More particularly, this invention relates to a casket closure device which can be operated from the exterior of the casket at a single point.

It is an object of this invention to provide an eflicient casket closure device which can be operated from a single point exterior the casket.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a casket closure device which has pull down means which initially advance towards the lid in order to insure proper engagement with the cooperating pull down mechanism in the lid.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a casket closure device which acts rapidly and eiiects a locking with a single operation.

These and other objects of this invention will be apparent on reading the description in conjunction with the following drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side perspective view of the casket in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the casket of Figure l, with the lid closed, taken on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a development of the cam track in one of the pull down elements mounted in the casket of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on the plane in dicated by the line 4-4 in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a pull down element in accordance with this invention.

Figure 6 is a partial section taken on the plane indicated by the line 66 in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a vertical section through a pull down element in the casket of Figure 1 showing the pull down ele ment after the lid of the casket has been closed and before the closure operation has been commenced.

Figure 8 is a vertical section through the pull down element of Figure 7showing the position just after the commencement of the closure operation.

Figure 9 is a vertical section of the pull down element of Figure 7 showing a further advancedstage of the closure beyond that of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a vertical section of the pull down element of Figure 7 showing the pull down element in the fully closed position.

Referring now to Figure 1, a casket 2 has a lid 4 and a body 6, the lid 4 being secured to body 6 by hinges 8. A one piece peripheral gasket 10 rests on the upper surface of the body 6 to eifect a seal between lid 4 and body 6.

Adverting now to Figure 4, casket lid 4 is provided with a plurality of spaced cups 12 which open downwardly through openings in a strip 13 which, in turn, is secured to flange 14 on lid 4. Cups 12 can be secured to strip 13 by, for example, welding and strip 13 can be secured to flange 14 by welding. Cups 12 open downwardly through flange 14 and are each provided with a substantially horinited States Patent zontal cam follower pin 15 which is secured to cup 12 by a pressed fit and projects into the interior of cup 12.

A pull down mechanism 16 (Figure 4) is secured to a mounting strip 17 which, in turn, is secured to flange 18 of body 6. Pull down mechanism 16 has a draw bar 19 provided with a plurality of rack sections 20. The squared corners of draw bar 19 have threads 21 at the left end of the draw bar as viewed in Figure 4. Threads 21 are engaged by threads 22 in cylindrical member 24. Cylindrical member 24 has a hexagonal hollow opening 26 which is adapted to receive a crank 26A which is shown only in Figure 1.

Cylindrical member 24 is provided with peripheral grooves 28 and 30 which are engaged by upper bracket 32 and lower bracket 34 which have semi-circular openings 36, 36 and 38, 38 for this purpose, brackets 32 and 34 being secured together by welding, and in turn being secured to strip 17.

Draw bar 19 passes through openings 40 in castings 42 which are secured to strip 17 and has stop members 43A and 43B which are adapted to contact adjacent casting 42 to prevent the overtravel of draw bar 19. Rack sections 20 respectively engage gear teeth 44 of each pull down element 46. Each pull down element 46 is mounted for rotation in an opening 47 in a casting 42. and passes upwardly through openings in strip 17, flange 1S and gasket 10 respectively.

Pull down element 46 is provided with a cam track 49, a development of which is shown in Figure 3. A headed pin 50 (see Figure 7) is secured in an opening 52 in cast ing 42 and engages cam track 49 to act as a cam follower. Cam track 49, as shown in Figure 3, has an enlarged opening A which is adapted to receive pin 15 when the casket lid 4 is closed. Cam sections B and C are adapted to coact with pin 15 to pull the lid 4 downwardly and to secure it in a locked position when pin 15 is advanced to the substantially horizontal section C of the cam track 49. Section E of cam track 49 is engaged by cam follower pin 50 when the lid 4 is initially closed and acts to force pull down element 46 upwardly during the initial operation period. Substantially horizontal section F of cam track 49 permits the pull down element to move in a rotational direction only without substantially moving upwardly or downwardly which causes the portion B to force pin 15 downwardly at a rapid rate to the locking position.

As shown in Figure 4, a dust cap 46 can be threadably secured to body 6 by being threaded into nut 58 secured to the interior of body 6. Pull down mechanism 16 is sealed from the interior of the casket by a plate 60 which is welded to the body 6.

Operation The operation of the above described structure will now be discussed. Lid 4 is closed bringing pins 15 into cam opening A. As crank 26A is rotated clockwise, as viewed in Figure l, the threads 22 of cylindrical member 24 act to draw draw bar 19 to the left as viewed in Figure 4 which, in turn, causes the rotation of the pull down elements 46 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 4.

Referring now to Figure 3 and Figures 7-10, pin 52 being in contact with section E of cam track 49 causes the pull down element 46 to be raised to insure the complete entry of pin 15 into opening A. Simultaneously, section B of cam track 49 is advanced towards and into engagement with pin 15. This stage of the operation is illustrated in Figure 7. As shown in Figure 8, the further rotation of pull down element 46 causes pin 52 to enter the substantially horizontal section F of cam track 49 which, in turn, causes the section B to exert a rapid pull down action on pin 15. As illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, this action continues until pin 15 is advanced into section C of cam track 49 which acts to lock the pull down element in the closed position.

It is not desired to be limited except as set forth in the following claims. A

What is claimed is:

1. Cooperating closure means adapted to be mounted in the lid portion and body portion of a casket respectively comprising: a plurality of cam followers adapted to be mounted in one portion of the casket, substantially cylindrical pull down elements adapted to be mounted for rotation on a substantially vertical axis in the other portion of the casket opposite said cam followers respectively, each of said pull down elements having a cam track developed about its periphery and adapted to engage one of said cam followers and having substantially vertical gear teeth, rack means adapted to move longitudinally in a plane parallel to the plane in which the axes of the pull down element lie and having substantially vertical teeth for engagement with the gear teeth of the pull down elements respectively.

2. Cooperating closure means adapted to be mounted in the lid portion and body portion of a casket respectively comprising: a plurality of substantially horizontal cam follower pinsadapted to be mounted in one portion of the casket, substantially cylindrical pull down elements adapted to be mounted for rotation on a substantially vertical axis in the other portion of the casket opposite said cam follower pins respectively, each of said pull down elements having a cam track developed about its periphery and adapted to engage a cam follower pin and having substantially vertical gear teeth, rack means adapted to move longitudinally in a plane parallel to the plane in which the axes of the pull down elements lie and having substantially vertical teeth for engagement with the gear teeth of the pull down elements respectively.

3. Cooperating closure means adapted to be mounted in the lid portion and body portion of a casket respectively comprising: a plurality of cam follower pins adapteded to be mounted in one portion of the casket, substantially cylindrical pull down elements adapted to be mounted for rotation on a substantially vertical axis in the other portion of the casket opposite said cam follower pins respectively, each of said pull down elements having a cam track developed about its periphery and adapted to engage a cam follower pin and having substantially vertical gear teeth, the upper terminal portion of each of said cam tracks being substantially vertical, rack means adapted to move longitudinally in a plane parallel to the plane in which the axes of the pull down elements lie and having substantially vertical teeth for engagement with the gear teeth of the pull down elements respectively.

4. Cooperating closure means adapted to be mounted in the lid portion and body portion of a casket respectively comprising: a plurality of upper cam followers adapted to be mounted in one portion of the casket, substantially cylindrical pull down elements adapted to be mounted for rotation on a substantially vertical axis in the other portion of the casket opposite said cam followers respectively, each of said pull down elements having a cam track developed about its periphery and adapted to engage a cam follower and having substantially vertical 'gear teeth, rack means adapted to move longitudinally in a plane parallel to the plane in which the axes of the pull down elements lie and having substantially vertical teeth for engagement with the gear teeth of the pull down elements respectively, lower cam followers adapted to engage saidcam tracks respectively to urge the pull down elements to move axially away from said rack means. 7 I

5. Cooperating closure means adapted tobemounted in the lid portion and body portion of a casket respectively comprising: a plurality of substantially horizontal upper cam follower pins adapted to be mounted in one portion of the casket, substantiallycylindrical pull down elements adapted to be mounted for rotation on a substantially vertical axis in the other portion of the casket opposite said cam follower pins respectively, each of said'pull down elements having a cam track developed about its periphery and adapted to engage a cam follower pin and having substantially vertical gear teeth, the upper terminal portion of each of said cam tracks being substantially vertical, rack means adapted to move longitudinally in a plane parallel to the plane in which the axes of the pull down elements lie and having substantially vertical teeth for engagement with the gear teeth of the pull down elements respectively, lower cam follower pins adapted to engage said cam tracks respectively to urge the pull down elements to move axially away from said rack means.

6. Cooperating closure means adapted to be mounted in the lid portion and body portion of a casket respectively comprising: a plurality of upper cam followers adapted to be mounted in one portion of the casket, substantially cylindrical pull down elements adapted to be mounted for rotation on a substantially vertical axis in the other portion of the casket opposite said cam followers respectively, each of said pull down elements having a cam track developed about its periphery and adapted to engage a cam follower and having substantially vertical gear teeth, rack means adapted to move longitudinally in a plane parallel to the plane in which the axes of the pull down elements lie and having substantially vertical teeth for engagement with the gear teeth of the pull down elements respectively, a lower cam follower mounted adjacent the middle portion of each pull down element, the upper terminal portion of each of said cam tracks having a substantially vertical portion for the initial reception of an upper cam follower pin, a helical portion to urge the cam follower pin towards the rack means, a helical portion engaging the lower cam follower to urge the pull down element along its axis away from the rack means and a terminal horizontal portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 410,807 Rufi'head Sept. 10, 1889 959,494 Fisher May 31, 1910 1,531,487 Lundberg Mar. 31, 1925 1,900,936 Huttger' Mar. 14, 1933 2,284,921 Purkiss June 2, 1942 2,582,841 McEwan Jan. 15, 1952 

